


The Challenge

by rhodrymavelyne



Category: Tokyo Babylon, Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-24
Updated: 2015-06-24
Packaged: 2018-04-06 00:01:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4200096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhodrymavelyne/pseuds/rhodrymavelyne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seishirou's first meeting with Vampire Subaru in the 'Tsubasa' universe. Subaru gives Seishirou his blood, and Seishirou decides to chase after the vampire twins.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Challenge

**Author's Note:**

> I tried to put in some parallels with Seishirou and Subaru's first meeting to the one they had in 'Tokyo Babylon'. Subaru does seem to know more about Seishirou, though, than Seishirou does about Subaru, in this encounter under the sakura tree. Seishirou is doing the same job he did in 'Tokyo Babylon', until he meets Subaru.

People have never been more than objects, objects I observe with a detached curiosity. Ultimately, what they have in common is being food for sakura trees. The trees fascinate me, as much as the people do. Their blossoms bloom the fairest pink, when a corpse is buried beneath them. Why do these blossoms inspire such innocent laughter? People admiring the sakura's beauty have no idea what makes them laugh.

I don't remember innocence, or having a heart, or emotions. They've been lost to me for so long. Now, they rush into me with a delicious force at the taste of his blood. His goodness and kindness wash over me, invading me. I can't believe I'm being overpowered by this slender, soft-hearted boy. I can't believe he's a vampire, but the marks of his teeth in my neck still hurt. For the first time, my perfect self control is threatened. 

Bemused, I look up at the exquisite little vampire who has killed me and brought me back. Tears the same delicate crimson as the sakura fill his emerald green eyes, as he looks down at me, lying at his feet. Pale, pink petals flutter down around him, from this forest of sakura, as I look back at him. 

"I'm sorry!" the vampire cries. His distress is shockingly genuine. As if he hadn't had to fight me to defend himself. As if I wouldn't have killed him, if he hadn't killed me first. As if I hadn't been about to kill a child, right before he grabbed me. She has disappeared, scuttling away to safety. Wise child. "Seishirou-san, I'm so sorry, but I couldn't let you kill anyone under the sakura! I had to stop you!"

"You have the advantage of me," I manage to say with some amount of gallantry, despite the wonderful absurdity of this situation. Strength courses through me, a strength I'd never known. "You know my name, but I don't know yours."

He takes a step back. Lovely, the flash of vulnerability and fear in his beautiful eyes, along with the faintest blush in his pale cheeks. I'd never realized a vampire could blush.

"Fascinating," I say, as I rise to my feet, faster than I'd ever moved before. "I think you've improved your enemy, little one. I think you've made me a better hunter than I've ever been, but I still want your name."

My own nails extend, as long as knives, claw-like. They must react to my thoughts and wishes. I can feel my lips curling into a smile, a hint of fang behind them. I reach out with one of my clawed hands to the little vampire.

"Don't touch him!" There is a blurring whirl of sakura, feathers, and smoke, before another person stands between me and my prey. Oh, yes, the little vampire is my prey, still, in spite of the circumstances. I fix my eyes upon the interloper, the one who stands between us.

It's a boy, as slight, frail, and pretty as my benefactor, although he shows none of the gentleness of the one who took me. This vampire's golden eyes are wild and angry, willing to tear and rend. He advances upon me with those, oh, so dangerous nails. 

"Don't you even think of touching Subaru!" he growls, baring his own delicate fangs.

"Kamui!" my benefactor exclaims, before he realizes his mistake. A tiny hand raises itself to cover his mouth. He's wearing gloves with some kind of ward in them. The magic contained within the wards seems familiar. Indeed, it feels very much like my magic. 

Again, this is fascinating. Everything about these lovely little vampires is fascinating. I'm having more fun than I've had, well, ever.

"So that's your name," I say, looking past Kamui to meet Subaru's beautiful green eyes. I decide to move, see if I can take him by surprise. In an instant, I'm there, past Kamui, standing right next to Subaru. I take one of his gloved hands and raise it to my lips, brushing them against the velvet. "Subaru."

Kamui is moving, faster than the eye can see, but I'm moving, too. I catch his wrist in mine, smiling into his angry face. "Kamui," I say, touching his wrist with my lips. It takes some skill to avoid the nails.

With surprising strength, he pulls his hand free of mine. His claws extend, ripping my own hand, as he moves back. He's standing between Subaru and me, raising his nails to his own lips.

"I have your scent and taste, hunter," Kamui says. His small, pink tongue snakes out to lick the blood off his nails. My blood. This is what he means by having my scent and taste.

"And I have yours," I reply, raising my own nails to my lips. The scent and taste of Kamui, all anger and fearful protectiveness mingled with sweetness and innocence has registered in my mouth. However, it's not the intimate knowledge that ran through me with Subaru.

Kamui's eyes widen with fury, anger, and a possessive jealousy I hadn't thought possible, but could come to understand. I already do, when Kamui half turns to Subaru, keeping his angry eyes on me. "Subaru, how could you? How could you give your blood to this man?"

"I'm sorry," Subaru whispers, staring down at the ground. I'm not sure if he's speaking to Kamui, or to me. "I couldn't let Seishirou-san die. I just couldn't!" Such tenderness is in his words. Is Subaru this kind to everyone, or am I somehow special? I'm not sure which, but I will find out.

"Don't even think it!" Kamui growls. I realize he's read some of my intentions on my face, another something I hadn't thought possible. "Don't you even think of him, don't you dare look at him! I won't let you near him, you bastard!"

"What an interesting challenge," I purr, as I move a little closer, into Kamui's space and closer to Subaru. "I think I'll accept it."

Faster than I can follow, there's a blurring movement. Feathers and sakura petals blind me, as I will them out of my path, but it's too late. A moment's distraction was all Kamui needed to grab Subaru and disappear. Both vampires are gone.

With a new strength and purpose, I stare at the spot in which the vampires had been, drinking in the remainder of their presence, which lingers in the air. It tastes like blood. It smells like sakura. "Yes, I'll definitely accept your challenge."


End file.
